Top Java books recommended by experts

At MentorCruise, we are all about making the most out of the experience of others. As part of that, we've connected and asked dozens of experts and professionals about their favourite Java books – and here are the answers.

Table of Contents

Fundamentals of Java

Understanding the concepts of Java starts with understanding the fundamentals. On your way to mastery, it's crucial for you to understand how certain concepts were derived, and why things work like they do. Starting with these resources is the best way to do so.

Java Performance

Coding and testing are often considered separate areas of expertise. In this comprehensive guide, author and Java expert Scott Oaks takes the approach that anyone who works with Java should be equally adept at understanding how code behaves in the JVM, as well as the tunings likely to help its performance.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Java For Dummies

The book starts with an overview of computer programming and builds from there; it explains the software you need, walks you through writing your own programs, and introduces you to a few of the more-complex aspects of programming in Java.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Java Performance: The Definitive Guide: Getting the Most Out of Your Code Scott Oaks

In this comprehensive guide, author and Java expert Scott Oaks takes the approach that anyone who works with Java should be equally adept at understanding how code behaves in the JVM, as well as the tunings likely to help its performance.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Effective Java

Java has changed dramatically since the previous edition of Effective Java was published shortly after the release of Java 6. This Jolt award-winning classic has now been thoroughly updated to take full advantage of the latest language and library features. The support in modern Java for multiple paradigms increases the need for specific best-practices advice, and this book delivers.

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Head First Design Patterns

Using the latest research in cognitive science and learning theory to craft a multi-sensory learning experience, Head First Design Patterns uses a visually rich format designed for the way your brain works, not a text-heavy approach that puts you to sleep.

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Test Driven: TDD for Java Developers

In test driven development, you first write an executable test of what your application code must do. Only then do you write the code itself and, with the test spurring you on, you improve your design.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Additional Java Reading

These books are not required for you to learn Java, but they are highly recommended for you to deepen your knowledge.

JavaScript: Programming Basics for Absolute Beginners

Learning a programming language can seem like a daunting task. You may have looked at coding in the past, and felt it was too complicated and confusing. This comprehensive beginner’s guide will take you step by step through learning one of the best programming languages out there. In a matter of no time, you will be writing code like a professional.
JavaScript is a popular client-side scrip…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Just Spring Madhusudhan Konda

This example-driven book for Java developers delves into the framework's basic features, as well as complex concepts such as containers. You'll learn how Spring makes Java Messaging Service easier to work with, and how its support for Hibernate helps you work with data persistence and retrieval.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Java generics and collections

The Java Generics programming is introduced in J2SE 5 to deal with type-safe objects. It makes the code stable by detecting the bugs at compile time. Before generics, we can store any type of objects in the collection, i.e., non-generic. Now generics force the java programmer to store a specific type of objects.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Core Java

For serious programmers, Core Java, Volume I―Fundamentals, Eleventh Edition, is the definitive guide to writing robust, maintainable code. Whether you’re using Java SE 9, 10, or 11, it will help you achieve a deep and practical understanding of the language and API, and its hundreds of realistic examples reveal the most powerful and effective ways to get the job done.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Core Java Cay S. Horstmann

With hundreds of realistic examples, Cay S. Horstmann reveals the most powerful and effective ways to get the job done. This book is written for readers with prior programming experience who are looking for in-depth coverage of the Java language and platform.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Java Concurrency in Practice

Java Concurrency in Practice provides you with the concepts and techniques needed to write safe and scalable Java programs for today's--and tomorrow's--systems." "This is the book you need if you're writing--or designing, or debugging, or maintaining, or contemplating--multithreaded Java programs.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

This list is curated by MentorCruise and can include Amazon affiliate links. Have any other suggestions? Add here.

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